MXPA00007160A - Method and system for identifying one or more objects - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method and system for identifying one or more objects, a two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code are generated. The pattern and the identification code are paired in one-to-one correspondence by means of a predetermined algorithm and are arbitrary. A two-dimensional representation of the pattern is provided on the object or on a pattern support connected thereto. The identification code is stored together with associated identification information. In order to identify the object, the representation of the pattern thereof is optically scanned and the associated identification code determined, by means of which the identification information can be determined.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFYING ONE OR MORE OBJECTS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for identifying one or more objects, comprising the following steps: generating a two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code; pattern and the identification code being matched in one-to-one correspondence by means of a predetermined algorithm; providing a two-dimensional representation of the pattern on it or each object, or on a pattern holder that is to be connected to it or each object, such as a label, gummed or the like; store the identification code and associated identification information; he traced optical representation of the pattern of him or each object; determine the associated identification code; and identify him or each object on the basis of the identification information associated with the identification code. The invention also relates to a system for implementing the method. In the prior art, a method is known to identify an object by means of a bar code or a point code, in which the code in the form of regular pattern, of readable machine, or bars or points respectively, may have been provided directly on a surface of the object or may also have been provided on a fixed support to the object. The bar code and the point code are structured by many applications according to the internally accepted norms, each one represents an alpha numeric identification code and are often issued centrally to provide one and the same code being used for the identification of different objects. The bar code is a one-dimensional code that has a limited length and therefore offers a limited number of mutually different identification codes. The point code is a two-dimensional code, which, per unit or area, offers a large number, but still essentially limited, of mutually different identification codes. A disadvantage with the use of bar code and a point code is consequently that, due to the amount of identification codes consequently to be formed, whose quantity is limited within reasonable dimensions, they are unsuitable for long characterization quantities. mutually different from objects in which the surface for the application of a bar code or point code is relatively small. Another disadvantage is that one is generally dependent on an external body for the emission of a bar code or a new point code, in which case there will be a considerable delay time in many cases unacceptable and some desired codes may turn out to be unavailable. From US-A-5 354 097, the use of a single pattern of individual stacked fibers embedded in a transpiring material is known to demonstrate the authenticity of an object by making use of the unique three-dimensional characteristics of a pattern. fiber of this kind through optical scanning of one or more different directions. From the aforementioned document it is known to use fiber patterns embedded in a transparent material as a means to identify objects. In addition, the rigidity necessary for the required dimensional stability will give the fiber pattern embedded in an unusual transparent material for many applications, for example, the identification of flexible objects such as textiles. Furthermore, an optical scan of the fiber pattern, especially in the case of flexible objects, is particularly complicated to transmit, since under these circumstances, the fiber pattern can only be reliably placed in relation to an optical tracking device with great difficulty . Due to the required domain depth, in addition, the fiber pattern can only be tracked over a relatively short distance. GB-A-2 221 870 describes providing an object with a scattered structure of arbitrarily three-dimensional radiation derived from a master member, the scattered structure of radiation causes an incident, a coherent beam of radiation to scatter in a random way generating a pattern and dotted diagram. The authenticity of the object is verified by comparing the dotted diagram with a reference. FR-A-2 576 696 describes providing an object with an arbitrarily two-dimensional thread-like structure to demonstrate the authenticity of the object. At the base of the structure a code is generated characterizing the structure. In use, the authenticity of the object is verified by comparing the code with a new code obtained by tracing back the structure. The invention aims to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, or at least to eliminate them widely, and for this purpose mainly to provide a method of the kind established in the preamble, characterized in that the pattern is arbitrary. By giving the pattern a perfectly arbitrary shape in an appropriate manner and by derivation, on the basis of the form obtained, a, for example, identification code by means of a predetermined algorithm, the pattern and the identification code being paired in correspondence one by one, making it possible to identify objects without the need for an external service, using a pattern provided in it or connected to it, with a practically insignificant chance of a similar pattern or a similar identification code being generated everywhere. Of course, it is not necessary to start from an arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern and derive an identification code by means of an algorithm. An arbitrary identification code can also form the starting point, an algorithm being used to generate a two-dimensional pattern. The only points of importance are those of two-dimensional patterns or the identification code are completely arbitrary and are in one-to-one correspondence between them. The identification code may be stored in a file and may be coupled with associated identification information such as a data related to the producer of an object and / or the owner thereof, and any relevant information. A two-dimensional representation of the generated pattern is provided in the object to be identified, or in a pattern holder to be attached thereto. In the identification of the object the representation of two dimensions of the pattern is optically traced, it is determined on the basis of any associated information code. The access identification code, in turn, to the identification information that is coupled to the same Given an appropriate choice of the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern, the two-dimensional representation can be particularly small, more particularly, considerably smaller than The barcode and the usual point code still have the same number of different identification codes as possible. The two-dimensional representation will nevertheless be easy to read from a relatively long distance (in the order of a few meters) using a camera. In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the step of generating the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern comprises the step of optically tracking one or more unreguided bodies 1 to which are coupled, which have an arbitrarily three-dimensional shape, especially optical tracking. a number of individual fibers arbitrarily coupled from a predetermined direction. Fibers of this type can be part, for example, of an authenticity mark as described in US-A-5 354 097 and the representation of two dimensions derived from the authenticity mark of an object, the document or the like can be provided in one or more additional objects, the documents or similar ones which have to be i den tifi cab 1 is as belonging to the object, document or the like being provided with the authenticity mark. Other preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the foregoing and in the title. According to the invention, a system for identifying one or more objects comprises: means for generating an arbitrary, two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code, the pattern and the identification code being paired in one-to-one correspondence by means of a predetermined algorithm; means for providing a two-dimensional representation of the pattern on it or each object, or on a label to be connected to it or to each object; means for storing the identification code and associated identification information; means for tracing opp t i camen t the representation of the pattern of him or each object; means for determining the associated identification code; and means for identifying he or each object on the basis of the identification information associated with the identification code.

The preferred embodiments of the system according to the invention are described in the dependent claims. The invention is explained in greater detail followed by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a very elongated scale, a portion of a sheet of material containing arbitrarily coupled individual fibers; Figure 2 shows a representation of a portion of the pattern formed by the fibers shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a system according to the invention; and Figure 4 shows an object that is provided with a representation of an arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern. In the different Figures, an identical reference number is related to the identical components or components that have a similar function. Figure 1 shows a portion of a sheet of material, for example a non-woven material having fibers 2 lying arbitrarily coupled, viewing from a specific direction. The tracking of at least one region 4 of the material sheet is obtained by optically, a two-dimensional representation of the pattern formed by the fibers 2 in region 4, as shown in Figure 2. By selecting an algorithm For this purpose, reference is made herein to US-A-5 354 097, an identification code can be derived from the representation according to Figure 2. It is assumed that the representation according to Figure 2 uses, on a preferably reduced scale, to identify washing items in a laundry. As illustrated in Figure 3, the representation is provided on a flexible adhesive label 6, using a printer 8 of sufficiently high resolution, and provided with a flexible protective layer. The adhesive label 6 is substantially fixed to a washing article 10, as illustrated in Figure 4. The different washing articles can have identical adhered labels, for example if they are owned by the same person.

The representation has been generated at an earlier stage with the aid of a sheet of material 12 comprising arbitrarily coupled individual fibers, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 illustrates how a representation of essentially the entire sheet is tracked with a device 14 of photoraising having a resolution of, for example, 4,800-7,200 dpi (dots per inch), after which the tracked information is read inside into a computer 16 and stored in a memory. The computer 16 is arbitrarily designated to select a rectangular portion of the stored representation, the possible elongation thereof, and the printing of the aforementioned portion on the adhesive label 6 at a resolution of, for example, 300-600. dpi. Following this, the identification code pertaining to the aforementioned portion is determined and recorded on the computer 16, in association with other relevant data with respect to the laundry item 10 to be identified, such as the owner thereof. As further illustrated by Figure 3, at the end of the washing process of each wash article 10 can be easily identified by optically tracking the adhesive label 6 attached thereto, using a digital camera 18 of sufficient resolution. If the representation is rectangular in shape, as shown in Figure 2, a rotational correction of the image recorded with the camera can be easily performed on computer 16 similar to bed 18, thereby increasing the reliability of the system. In the bases of the registered representation, the corresponding identification code is determined in the computer 16 and the washing article 10 can be routed to the desired destination either manually or with automatic means. The pictorial information obtained with the tracking device 14 does not need to be powered by the computer 16 as soon as it has been generated, but it can also be registered in a well-known data carrier for later use in the computer 16. The pictorial information can of this way to be generated completely independently of the manufacture and emission of the adhesive label 6, using the material sheet 12.

It will be clear that the selection of a specific portion of the representation of the sheet of material 12 in the memory of the computer 16 to generate a representation can only be carried once, due to the desired exclusivity of the identification code. The material sheet can therefore only supply a limited amount, despite the large number of identification codes. Instead of tracing the optical representation of all the previous sheets of material, store the representation obtained so that the arbitrary section of a portion of this representation to generate a representation of a pattern, the pattern can also, by its position, be directly generated by tracing optics and flesh nt an arbitrary portion of a sheet of material and convert this into a two-dimensional representation. In another possible application, a container is sealed using a stamp in which a three-dimensional mark is recorded, as described in US-A-5 354 097. The three-dimensional mark is optically traced by the generation of the two-dimensional representation, the which is provided in a number of labels, adhesive labels or the like. These labels, adhesive labels or the like are subsequently fixed to the articles present in the container, so all the articles are hereby assigned to the container and to the corresponding single stamp. In yet another possible application, a banker's card or the like is provided with a three-dimensional ark as described in US-A-5 354 097. The three-dimensional mark is optically traced by the generation of a two-dimensional representation, which is provided in a check which is intended to be paid to the owner of the banguero card. A possible identification of a check is thus possible when it is presented to a bank along with the banker's card.

Claims (11)

1. Method for identifying one or more objects, comprising the following steps: generating a two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code, the pattern and the identification code being matched in one-to-one correspondence by means of a predetermined algorithm; provide a two-dimensional representation of the pattern on it or on each object, or on a pattern holder that is to be connected to it or each object; store the identification code and associated identification information; Optically trace the pattern representation of him or each object; determine the associated identification code; and identifying him or each object on the basis of the identification information associated with the identification code; characterized in that the pattern is arbitrary.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of generating the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern comprises the step of optically tracking one or more bodies i r r e gu 1 a rmen t e coupled having an arbitrarily three-dimensional shape.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the step of generating the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern comprises the step of optically tracking a number of arbitrarily coupled individual fibers.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the optical tracking of the arbitrarily coupled individual fibers is carried out from a predetermined direction.

5. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the step of generating the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern comprises the step of optically tracking a portion of the sheet of material containing arbitrarily coupled individual fibers.

6. Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the step of generating the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern comprises the following steps: optically tracking a sheet of material containing arbitrarily coupled individual fibers, the geometric configuration of the fibers being traced; store a two-dimensional representation of the geometric configurations of the fibers of the material sheet; and selecting a predetermined region of the representation.

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of generating the arbitrarily two-dimensional pattern comprises the steps of generating an arbitrary identification code and determining a pattern associated with the aid of the algorithm.

8. System for identifying one or more objects, comprising: means for generating a two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code, the pattern and the identification code being paired in a one-to-one correspondence by means of a predetermined algorithm; means for providing a two-dimensional representation of the pattern of it or each object, or on a label to be connected to it or each object; means for storing the identification code and associated identification information; means to optically track the representation of the pattern of him or each object; means for determining the associated identification code; and means for identifying him or each object based on the identification information associated with the identification code, characterized in that the pattern is arbitrary.

9. System according to claim 8, characterized in that the means for generating a two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code comprises an optical tracking device and a data processing system that is adapted to convert optical information. obtained during the tracking in an identification code.

10. System according to claim 9, characterized in that the means for generating a two-dimensional, optically readable pattern and an identification code further comprises a sheet of material containing individual fibers arbitrarily coupled.

11. Object or support attached to it intended to be used in a method and system according to the invention, and provided with a representation, provided on a surface thereof, of a pattern arbitrarily of two dimensions s i one s.